Tooth-cleaning device.



A. L. PASGHALL. TOOTH CLEANING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 001:.26, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

jrizzrljasfif f IBIA PMMIAPII CO-UIAQIMTON. D. C

A. L. PASGHALL. TOOTH CLEANING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 00-1220. 1910.

1,003,785; Patented Sept. 19,1911.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ewe/MM jrfizalfaaafiall coLUMBM I'LANOORAPII cu wasnmm'oh'. l\. c.

ritory of New UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

-ARTHUR I... PASCHALL, OF SILVER CITY, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

TOOTH-CLEANING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 26, 1910. Serial No.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. PASOHALL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Silver City, in the county of Grant and er- Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tooth-Cleanmg Devices, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to a tooth cleaning device of that type in which dental floss or thread is employed for removing foreign matter from the spaces between adjacent teeth.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction of devices of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and efficient in use, and readily manipulated so that all the teeth can be effectively cleaned.

other object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class. referred to including a spool contained in the handle of the device so that new sections of the silk can be drawn out and applied to the crotch of the device to hold the end of the silk thread taut while being used between the teeth.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangementof parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrates one embodiment of the lnvention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof.

o Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33,

Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections on lines 44 and 55, respectively, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stem or shank of the device. Fig. 7 is a perspective 5 view of the combined spool guard and silk thread guide in the handle of the instrument.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

0 Referring to the drawings, A designates the fork or head for the device that is in the form of a bar 1 having terminal members 2 on which are spools 3 by which the dental floss or thread is attached to the fork i or head, the said members 2 being spaced apart a suitable distance that the portion of the thread stretched bet-ween the spools 3 can be conveniently entered between adjacent teeth and then moved longitudinally for removing foreign matter from interdental spaces. Each spool has a radial notch 4 into which the thread can be wedged and the edge 5 of the notch of one of the spools 1s sharpened so that by means of it the thread can be severed when a new sect1on is to be used. This head A is attached to a stem or shank 6 that is provided with a handle B. This handle is hollow and made of two sections or shells 7 and 8, and the meeting edges of these two sections or shells are formed with mortises and tenons 9 and 10 so that relative rotation will be prevented. The handle is prevented from rotating by means of the shank or stem 6 being square in cross section at 11, and the bore 12 of the section or shell 7 being shaped to correspond therewith. At the inner end of the square portion 11 is a shoulder 13 and the inner end of the handle is held against this shoulder by a nut 14 bein screwed on the threaded extremity of the shank, the said nut having a bail 15 whereby the device can be suspended on a hook when not in use.

Arranged within the chamber of the handle B is a spool 17 containing several yards of dental floss or thread, and this spool is supported on the shank 6 which is of round cross section where the spool is positioned so that the latter can freely turn on the shank as an arbor. The spool is prevented from having longitudinal movement on the shank or stem 6 by means of a U-shaped holder or guard C which is housed within the handle and supported on the stem 6. The upwardly-extending members 18 of this guard have openings 19 through which the stem 6 passes and on one end of the guard is a member 20 that has a square opening 21 to fit on the square portion 11 of the stem 01 shank 6 so as to thereby prevent the guard C from turning. The bottom bar 22 of the guard is formed with an opening or eye 23 through which the thread from the spool passes so that the part O forms a thread guide as well as a holder for the spool. The thread passes from the eye 23 under the bar 22, where it engages in a guide notch or seat 23' in the end of such bar 22. From this point, the thread passes upwardly to the I that it is merely necessary bore 12 of the inner section 7 of the handle what and passes through a passage 25 at one side of this bore, the thread continuing out of the passage toward the crotch or head A The portion of the shank 6 between the squared part 11 and head A has a longitudinal groove 26 for accommodating the thread, said groove being positioned in alinement with the groove or passage 25 of the handle.

Having thus described the invention, I claim' as new, is

1. A device of the class described comprising a head adapted to hold a stretched thread, a shank connected with the head, a hollow handle on the shank, a spool mounted within the handle and journaled on the shank, meansfor guiding the thread from the spool to the said head, and a non- Surrounding the grooved portion of the rotatable holder carried by the shank and shank or stem is a sleeve 27 held in place adapted to hold the spool against longitudibetween the bar 1 of the head A and hannal movement on the shank. I

dle B, and the end of this sleeve adjacent 2. A device of the class described comthe bar 1 has an opening 26 out of which prising a head, means thereon for holding ashank connected with the head, a hollow handle attached to and prevented from rotating on the shank, a spool rotatable on the shank and housed within the handle, a non-rotating U-shaped holder spanning the spool and mounted on the shank to prevent longitudinal movement of the spool and to form a thread guide, and means between the holder and head for guiding the thread to the latter.

8. A device of the class described comprising a head, a shank connected therewith, a hollow handle composed of detachable sections mounted opposite from the From this opening, the a thread stretched, to one end of the bar 1 where a seat or notch 28 is provided for forming a guide for the thread, the thread passing upwardly along the adjacent arm 2, so that it can be Wound around the spool 3 thereon and then continued to the other spool on which the extremity of the thread is fastened by looping around such spool and being caught in the notch 4. thereof.

With a device of this character, it is an easy matter to place the spool in the handle and lay the thread in its proper course so to pull on the end of the thread to draw out a sufficient amount for use from time to time.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that I the device shown is merely illustrative, and

the thread passes. thread continues head, a thread-carrying dlehaving a passage out of which the thread passes, a tube surrounding the shank and located between the handle and head and through which the thread passes from the handle to the head, i for supporting the end of the thread stretched for use.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR L. PASCHALL.

that such changes may be made when de- Witnesses: sired as are within the scope of the claims HAROLD TYNDALE, I appended hereto. R. A. GIBB, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G.

Commissioner of Patents,

on the shank at the endand means on'the head spool mounted within the handle, said han- 

